TheWolf's Stats
- Review Count30
- Helpfulness Votes88
- First Review31 January 2012
- Last Review26 April 2015
- Featured Reviews0
- Average Rating4.6
Comme des Garcons 2 Eau de Parfum Spray 100ml
Comme des Garçons 2 Eau de Parfum Spray is a perfume with a powerful presence precisely because of its simplicity.
Unisex, it is created not for a woman or a man but for a personality; it is an extension of character, of preference, of qualities.
Presented in a strikingly reflective, silver canister, Comme des Garçons 2 employs an unusual and unforgettable mix of notes to properly convey the forgotten art of Japanese calligraphy.
Its smooth, pebble-like bottle is emblematic of Comme des Garçons fragrances, finished in high shine silver lacquer tucked inside a silver foil packet.
Top Notes: Aldehydes, Mandarin, Tea
Heart Notes: Nutmeg, Ink, Magnolia
Base Notes: Patchouli, Cedar
Overall Rating:
5
out of
5
Making Sense Of Incense
Date:26 April 2015
Fragrance appeal:
5
out of
5
Effectiveness:
4
out of
5
When it comes to perfumery Mark Buxton is a bit of a wizard and this invention for Comme Des Garcons has more than a whiff of enchantment about it. Smelling it for the first time is a bit like walking into a great Venetian basilica after high mass has finished and the penitent crowd has dispersed but with the smell of candle smoke and incense still hanging in the air but with a hint of citrus to lighten the experience. Despite its churchy associations deep down it's quite an exotic affair and eminently wearable.
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Assertive and undeniably seductive, this is an impish fragrance for a confident and vivacious woman. A unique perfume that is intensely beautiful and beautifully intense to suit your inner ingénue. Top: Mimose, Iris, Lily, Plum, Cinnamon Heart: Tuberose, Orange Blossom, Heliotrope, Ylang- Ylang. Base: Sandalwood, Musk, Benzoin, Vanilla, Incense.
Overall Rating:
5
out of
5
Candied Angelica
Date:26 April 2015
Fragrance appeal:
5
out of
5
Longevity:
4
out of
5
Whoever brought this fragrance into being (actually Jean Guichard) knew exactly what they were doing and did it exceedingly well. It's a gentle Oriental whose heart is very difficult to pin down. There's a soft violet note
in there which runs from top to bottom (Loulou's coherence is nothing if not solid) but it took me some time to identify the elusive association which kept a nagging at me like a hornet in a bottle for hours. Candied angelica. You remember the stuff? The pale green diamonds which decorated the iced cakes and buns of my childhood. Nostalgic moments are rarely so poignant and it's just as good as a masculine.
in there which runs from top to bottom (Loulou's coherence is nothing if not solid) but it took me some time to identify the elusive association which kept a nagging at me like a hornet in a bottle for hours. Candied angelica. You remember the stuff? The pale green diamonds which decorated the iced cakes and buns of my childhood. Nostalgic moments are rarely so poignant and it's just as good as a masculine.
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Etat Libre d'Orange Archives 69 Eau de Parfum Spray
Archives 69 is a scent of sensual liberation, the very essence of Etat Libre d'Orange. A unification of the masculine and the feminine; a perfume designed to free the senses, to open the heart to all possibilities. It is an invitation to pleasure, an ode to seduction, and it is your to do with as you wish - no rules or restrictions.
"It is an odd one, this scent, a barely tenable paradox, as candid as a lick of vanilla ice cream and as ancient as the burnt offerings of mankind to the gods... The droplets prickle her skin like snowflakes' they trail the faint reminiscence of the first grown-up perfume she was ever given. Crisp as a freshly laundered white shirt - too white not to mess up. She will. A hot flash: pepper, as pink and red as a hungry kiss. This is a cruel feast, got and cold, suave and biting."
A scent that symbolises both pleasure and pain; the evolution of time and memory. Everything must come to an end, but this end signals a new beginning. No regrets, just the expectation of glorious memories yet to be created. That is the promise of Archives 69, an all-consuming feast of heaven and hell, the terrible and the beautiful.
Notes: Tangerine, Pink Berries, Co2, Pepper Leaf, Orchid, Prune, Incense, Camphor, Benzoin, Patchouli, Musk.
Overall Rating:
4
out of
5
An Incense That Makes Sense
Date:15 December 2013
Fragrance appeal:
4
out of
5
Longevity:
4
out of
5
With a name like this one might have expected Etat Libre D'Orange to be wanting to lead us by the kaftan down some day-glo Summer-Of-Love hippie trail. Far from it. 'Archives 69' turns out to be a smoky, vegetal little number whose dry incense notes speak more to the echoing aisles of ornate Italian Baroque church interiors than it would to the Woodstock Generation. Rather Monteverdi's 1610 Vespers than Jefferson Airplane!
Somehow archaic and simply beautiful.
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Etat Libre d'Orange Divin' Enfant Eau de Parfum Spray 50ml
Notes: orange blossom, rose, amber, musk, leather and tobacco
A child can either charm or annoy us with the same ruthlessness. A child can be irresistible with his angel-sweet smile but he also knows how to drive us crazy.
Under the angel, the faked innocence of a demon. After the gentle top notes of orange blossom and marshmallow, breaks the unexpected accord of coffee, leather and cold tobacco, a shrilling symbol of our sleepless nights. This mini-sized tyrant is only happy when he succeeds in imposing his whims, which he always manages to do.
What a sweet little monster!
Overall Rating:
5
out of
5
Strangely Beautiful
Date:15 December 2013
Fragrance appeal:
4
out of
5
Longevity:
4
out of
5
There's nothing at all infantile about this fragrance at all. It's a musky beast all the way though, albeit one whose feral nature is tempered by a
restrained sweetness which sits well with Etat Libre D'Orange's description of marshmallow, moka and floral notes. It's far from being a gastronomic free-for-all however. A slightly smoky undertow suggests Autumnal colours and bonfire smoke; deep reds, ochres and greys.
restrained sweetness which sits well with Etat Libre D'Orange's description of marshmallow, moka and floral notes. It's far from being a gastronomic free-for-all however. A slightly smoky undertow suggests Autumnal colours and bonfire smoke; deep reds, ochres and greys.
Best of all, however, is the sense of mystery which it effortlessly evokes.
Strangely beautiful and beautifully strange.
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Etat Libre d'Orange Delicious Closet Queen Eau de Parfum Spray 100ml
Notes: leaf of violet absolute, rose absolute, iridescent raspberry, butter of raw iris, patchouli, black pepper, essence of vetyver, vanilla, animal notes, musk and leather
Elegance is an armour.
To sense this singular man, one should cast aside the impeccable finish of his made-to-measure suits, see through the stiffness of his collar and the modern prince mask he wears.
He is sophisticated and excels in the art of concealing, yet some details betray him: here the sheen of a satin cuff, there the finesse of a manicured hand. Under the powerful trail of vetiver, leather and Tonka bean is concealed the sensuous personality of Putain des Palaces aroused by an overdose of dynamone, benzoin and opoponax, like a streak of lip gloss revealed here by the presence of rose essence.
He is a master of pretence and skillfully dissimulates his true nature; he disguises it and imprisons it in the mirror of his compact powder case. He expresses his ambivalence by indulging in disconcerting contrasts - sandalwood and geranium, violet and citrus accord at the heart - that he dares without ever unveiling who he really is.
As the repressed seducer he is, he belongs to everyone without yielding to anyone. Like him, we all have a secret side. An inner garden we cultivate to protect our most abiding passions and leaves us sole guardian of our identity.
Overall Rating:
4
out of
5
Come Out Come Out Whoever You Are!
Date:15 December 2013
Fragrance appeal:
5
out of
5
Longevity:
3
out of
5
Etat Libre D'Orange are without a doubt an outfit with a sense of fun!
'Delicious Closet Queen'! Who else in the game would come up with a name like that? Its playful title, however, conceals a very grown-up and elegant fragrance which would smell just as good on a man or a woman (whether or not a clandestine Friend Of Miss Gale!).
'Delicious Closet Queen'! Who else in the game would come up with a name like that? Its playful title, however, conceals a very grown-up and elegant fragrance which would smell just as good on a man or a woman (whether or not a clandestine Friend Of Miss Gale!).
The violet / vetiver accord hangs together right the way through the composition with a little help from a slightly fruity note on top and the warmth of patchouli (just a spritz) and sandlewood rising up from below. More a perky Mozart piece than Bruckner on a bad day.
A classy and clever piece of work.
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Etat Libre d'Orange Malaise of the 1970's Eau de Parfum Spray 50ml
Relive the anarchy of Britain in the punk age with the Etat Libre d'Orange Malaise of the 1970s Eau de Parfum.
Inspired by a wealth of seventies pop culture references, from Star Wars to The Stranglers, Malaise of the 1970s captures the resistant and tumultuous spirit of the times. A metallic juice that resonates like the twang of a guitar string, its sharpness reminiscent of safety pins fastened to tartan. A distillation of rebellion, music and raw emotion.
This scent from Etat Libre d'Orange blends the piquancy of black pepper and electric aldehydes with the headiness of patchouli and leather. Like an act of resistance, you cannot keep it out of your body any more than you can stop breathing.
Blast off the last wafts of patchouli tailing after the Summer of Love. Growl out "No More Heroes". Take off to a galaxy far, far away. and indulge in the unique malaise of the 1970s.
Notes: Citrus, Black Pepper, Amber, Prune, Electric Aldehydes, Heliotrope, Patchouli, Orcanox, Leather.
Overall Rating:
4
out of
5
For Adventurous Spirits
Date:15 December 2013
Fragrance appeal:
4
out of
5
Longevity:
4
out of
5
"Malaise"? I remember the seventies rather more fondly, so find it a little hard to see what Etat Libre D'Orange are driving at with this invention.
Having said that I like it. 'Mot70s' has a curiously medicinal ambience;
somewhat steely in the introduction but mellowing over time to reveal a softer heart when, eventually, the warmer patchouli/amber notes make their presence felt.
Having said that I like it. 'Mot70s' has a curiously medicinal ambience;
somewhat steely in the introduction but mellowing over time to reveal a softer heart when, eventually, the warmer patchouli/amber notes make their presence felt.
As with many ELD'O's fragrances its highly individual character will be more likely to appeal to those of an adventurous disposition.
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Etat Libre d'Orange Rien Eau de Parfum Spray
Notes: Incense, rose, leather, cistus, oakmoss, patchouli, amber, cumin, black pepper, aldehyde...
Nothing is Everything. Do not believe what you first see... under the demureness of the name, the spicy savour of blackcurrant bays and the musky notes of blond suede.
Rien is a second skin perfume, a perfume that clings to the body and perseveres in the mind. Like venial sin on the verge of becoming mortal, irresistible and resolutely pervasive.
As light as mohair and as precious as cashmere, the fragrance envelops skin with a powdered caress. It has the meticulous elegance and hypnotic beauty of a modern Dorian Gray, in a feminine/masculine version. An entrancing fragrance that leaves an unforgettable imprint. Utter charm, utterly charismatic. The vanilla/opium accord of the drydown reinforces the addiction.
Rien is an essential. A perfumer's confession.
Overall Rating:
5
out of
5
A Feral Beauty
Date:15 December 2013
Fragrance appeal:
4
out of
5
Longevity:
5
out of
5
'Rien' is, indeed, anything but nothing; (Etat Libre D'Orange at their little games again!) i't's a pretty complicated affair as it happens and although I fell in love with it over an hour-or-so it's not going to be a fragrance which will sit well with everyone. This has everything and more to do with its blatantly animalic nature (imagine the lovechild of Bulgari's marvellous 'Black' and Serge Lutens' challenging but lovable 'Muscs Koublai Khan' and you're getting somewhere close!)
The smokey/rubbery opening accord descends slowly to a warm but
provocatively feral musky/amber dry-down (the presence of Cistus in the mix will have more than a little to do with this). It's a tad weightier on a smelling strip than it is on skin, whose warmth seems to tame what otherwise might have been a very dangerous beast indeed.
provocatively feral musky/amber dry-down (the presence of Cistus in the mix will have more than a little to do with this). It's a tad weightier on a smelling strip than it is on skin, whose warmth seems to tame what otherwise might have been a very dangerous beast indeed.
Don't wear it on a first date!
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Etat Libre d'Orange Putain des Palaces Eau de Parfum Spray 100ml
Notes: Rose absolute, violet, leather, lily of the valley, tangerine, ginger, rice powder, amber, animal notes
Sheer sensuous fantasy. The powdered top note evokes a woman who dresses for seduction - a soft trail of lipstick, the rustling of lace.
The intimate ritual of a femme fatale who sees right through the fragile armour of men. Her sophistication is intriguing.
Under the bitter-sweet touch of almond, like a secret that unfolds, comes a hint of supple leather, fluid and flexible, that introduces what is to come : a boudoir, fingers that tighten on a leatherette sofa and the palpable presence of raw desire. Doesn't every woman have the fantasy of being a temptress in a hotel bar, of yielding to desire in the intimacy of a lift or of giving way to sensuality in silk sheet luxury ?
Overall Rating:
4
out of
5
Classy Floral
Date:15 December 2013
Fragrance appeal:
4
out of
5
Longevity:
3
out of
5
It's somewhat risque title aside 'Putain Des Palace' turns out to be a rather lovely powdery floral fragrance whose creators cite rose, violet and lily of the valley notes as contributing to its abundant charms.
I detect some kinship to Guerlain's 'Habit Rouge' in ithe overall structure;
a warmth and classically elegant bearing which runs more than a little contra to Etat Libre D'Orange's whimsically salacious applellation.
a warmth and classically elegant bearing which runs more than a little contra to Etat Libre D'Orange's whimsically salacious applellation.
Truth-be-told your favorite Great Aunt would probably adore it!
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Etat Libre d'Orange Je Suis Un Homme Eau de Parfum Spray 50ml
Notes: Bergamot, orange, lemon, myrte, cinnamon, clove, cognac accord, leather, patchouli and animal notes
Napoleon would spray himself with it before going to combat; Je suis un Homme (I am a Man) is a reinterpretation of Cologne accords dear to his heart.
Citrus and bergamot top notes to summon up the guard and prepare to storm an attack somewhere in between a Corsican scrub - on a myrtle note - and a retreat from Russia. Birch wood and cognac evoke the smell of saddle leather, boots and belts.
The charge will be hasty and imperial... in a rough and ready way! Energetic and clearly manly, Je suis un Homme (I am a Man) suits men who assert themselves...and women who assume their masculine side, ready to launch the offensive without being scared of reversing roles.
Overall Rating:
5
out of
5
A Bitter Sweet Joy
Date:14 December 2013
Fragrance appeal:
5
out of
5
Longevity:
5
out of
5
Parisian perfumers Etat Libre D'Orange are a cracking little outfit
whose leftfield antics in the scent game are well worth exploring.
whose leftfield antics in the scent game are well worth exploring.
'Je Suis Un Homme' (Oh The Irony!) is a very fine composition indeed which would live well and prosper just as well on the skin of a Woman.
A fresh spritz of citrus (bergamot, orange, lemon) opens the show
but it is the wonderfully bitter green bite of myrtle at its heart, with subtle support from cinnamon and clove, which hangs on in there until the drydown.
but it is the wonderfully bitter green bite of myrtle at its heart, with subtle support from cinnamon and clove, which hangs on in there until the drydown.
Warmer in its closing bars (patchouli) than in its overture this is a fragrance which could be happily worn at any time of day.
It lasts for ages without losing its shape and integrity.
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Jovoy Private Label Eau de Parfum Spray 100ml
Enjoy the distinction of the Jovoy Private Label Eau de Parfum Spray, an original creation for a private client of Jovoy.
This scent was concocted with a clear outcome in mind: to create the ideal oriental scent, without Arabian oud. The result is a strong, masculine and faithful ode to the oriental family: resolutely woody and laced with spice.
A smooth opening of verdant papyrus and vetiver together with leather create sensuality from the first notes, before a resonating woody heart and a balsamic dry down leave a distinct and consistent trail.
Top Notes: Papyrus, Vetiver, Leather
Heart Notes: Patchouli, Sandalwood
Base Notes: Gum, Cistus
Overall Rating:
5
out of
5
A Not So Private Joy
Date:23 June 2013
Fragrance appeal:
5
out of
5
Longevity:
5
out of
5
Despite its somewhat pompous providence (ie created "for a private client"...hmm) and ridiculous name (which would have put me right
off had I not been given the chance of smelling it without first seeing the bottle) Jovoy's "Private Label" is an absolute knockout fragrance.
off had I not been given the chance of smelling it without first seeing the bottle) Jovoy's "Private Label" is an absolute knockout fragrance.
The work of perfumer Cecile Zarokian, the only ingredient listed on
the packaging is Benzyl Benzoate which brings a gentle balsamic note to the the overall proceedings. The manufacturer suggests that papyrus, vetiver and leather have a part to play up top; patchouli and sandlewood (most definately) in the middle and labdanum and cedar down below. (Curiously deigning to create an "oriental" without using oud (which seems to be everywhere like a rash these days!) has resulted in a very "oud-y" beast indeed!) Warm, sensual and just a little bit "dirty" in a nice way; 'Private Label' is a very classy piece of work which would work equally well on either male or female flesh.
the packaging is Benzyl Benzoate which brings a gentle balsamic note to the the overall proceedings. The manufacturer suggests that papyrus, vetiver and leather have a part to play up top; patchouli and sandlewood (most definately) in the middle and labdanum and cedar down below. (Curiously deigning to create an "oriental" without using oud (which seems to be everywhere like a rash these days!) has resulted in a very "oud-y" beast indeed!) Warm, sensual and just a little bit "dirty" in a nice way; 'Private Label' is a very classy piece of work which would work equally well on either male or female flesh.
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